Shanghai Lilly

I need a good casting reel, more than a trotting reel, hardly ever do any trotting these days as it happens. The Bewick seems extremely utilitarian and simple. Thanks for your thoughts and vote of confidence Rusty! /SL

Marvellous, cheers! /SL

Hi Alan! Have you been using the Bewick much? If so, is anything you wish to add? I’m poised to buy one, and didn’t want to be let down. Your Bewick review ticked a lot of boxes of what I consider a good centrepin should be, I’m hoping you’re still happy with it. /Regards SL

Nicely penned JG! Only in jest! Yea but you’ve also got your ”ultimate anglers” smug middle class twits, reliving A Passion for Angling every weekend. There you’re posh angling book buyers, all clean cork and vintage winches, second-hand knowledge and posh day tickets brigade. It’s all Estate lakes & chalk streams through rose tinted Polaroid’s, following regurgitated blue prints to the sound of Kelly kettles and creaking cane. More hours spent on Ebay than angling. ”Mitsubishi Shogun driving plasterers” & someone somewhere making money, yea! Hats off to the guy who presented the “Carp Wheelbarrow” he didn’t beat about the bush, sell them a wheelbarrow and watch them fill it up! /SL (Roofer)

When I get my collar felt on gorilla sessions I always play the lost tourist card. As it happens I’ve got a unfished virgin lake on my July things to do list, set the lush grounds of some posh old house, conference centre/hotel, it just reeks big fish, you know, when you just know, that inner voice, instinct, this place just ticks all the boxes. There’s also a golf course pond of major interest, I just haven’t found any suitable headwear yet. /A Bilingual Gorilla Angler.

Nice report! I do like the Anglers net forum session reports, really refreshing to read real reports from real anglers, and not just window dressed advertisements trying to sell you something and tell you nothing. Will write up a few of my own escapades a bit later. SL/

Nice! Glad you made it! Hot your end? My crucians have taken leave; evenings are now spent finding ingenious ways of avoiding bream and black fly. Dr H tells me the crap have now spawned, so maybe its worth targeting the park carp again, I’m told in my absence there’s not a fish under 10kg. Floating crust and pert tits through optimistic Polaroid’s, with a Kasabian sound track this July! Only downer is the hour on the train smelling like death, mind you I always get a seat on the journey home. By the by, old Bob seems like an interesting fellow; http://caughtbytheriver.net/category/arcadia/ /SL

Worms; Arnt they like a Rapidex, with a cage setup? Never seen the any point to that myself. Tigger; Ok, all better looking reels than Sheffield in my opinion; Bewick Merlin Trudex 2 Seldex John Milner kingfisher King pin My dream reel The Sheffield just looks like some Asian kid lost it on the CNC machine. And those two big old Philips screws don’t do it any favours. Less is more spring to mind. The Young’s Aerodex wouldn’t be to bad if they hadn’t cut the back out, and left the spool closed.

Ive really been impressed with Anglers Net coarse fishing forum over the last few weeks since joining, friendly contributions, and intelligent discussions/disagreements, with obvious and genuine passion for angling. Wonderful session accounts with photos, and overall inspiring and pleasant atmosphere. I feel lucky to have landed here; youll no doubt get a few session accounts from me this year. Cheers! /SL

I don’t doubt the performance of an Okuma, its just there not very pretty; I want a reel that’s aesthetically pleasing as well as function, plain and classic. I pride myself on my photo compositions; an Okuma Sheffield is to me as aesthetically pleasing as say a tail fin on escort, or photo of a rodpod, it clashes with my chi something rotten.

The £250 was just a sensible price I would pay for my hypothetical dream reel. I wonder why the reel makers don’t do Merlin or Trudex type of reels these days?? Just checked the Stanton website out! There a nice piece of fishing tackle, and very nice accessories! I watched the little film as well. Not fond of pillars or ball bearings, the yanks fill them up with backing line, so they get an almost solid drum effect, not my cup of tea really. So far the updated Bewick is the closest and most realistic contender. I want a good Wallis caster more than a trotting reel at the end of the day. Don’t do a lot of trotting. I’ve read the Alan-Roe review a few times now, and it floats my boat more than any other reel so far.

It’s odd; you have a medeoka build replica for £125 or else £400 work of art. Or you can take gamble with an antique. Do a few small finesses or attention to detail really cost an extra £275? I’m not really looking for an aerial style reel; I was just interested in compassion. If I could build my own reel it would be; 4½inch diameter 3/4inch wide Solid drum (no pillars or spokes) Lever check Plain bearing No plastic Anodised black Minimal ventilation (keep crap out) Strong by not hysterical check End float adjustment No line guard No loc-tight Tension adjustment Akin to the Trudex A set of handsome an easy to maintain handles Tool kit, oil, spare parts, instructions, cardboard box, reel case. Kind of updated and slightly wider Trudex if you will, I would be happy to part with £250 for such a reel. The closest I could get to day would be the ball bearing action Carter Merlin according Gary Mills.

The first time I posted this thread it vanished, Elton informed me it was due to a change in server. Tigger, please post again if you have the time. I never read your initial post.

Hej Jan! Copious quantities of raw/pickled herring, new potatoes and snaps! Like every midsummer, mild alcohol poisoning, rain, mother in law bending my ear hole, and a hung over tench session the day after! Have good one! Kind regards /SL

The Arcadia blog on there is particularly good, well, if you care for the cut of Dexter Petleys jib that is.